Tag: fiction

Editing

4 ways to fix a comma splice.

Cayla

Comma splices are so common. I think everyone was taught to just add a comma if you pause, but comma splices are just one problem that arises.

So what is a comma splice?

It happens when two independent clauses are joined by a comma and nothing else. It feels natural to take pause between those two clauses, but that pause should be a full stop period or it requires different punctuation and another device to reach a proper sentence.

So, what are the ways we can fix that?

1. You can use a conjunction!

Let’s throw it back to freshman English. Fanboys, do yall remember those? I’ll be honest, I forgot to use them all the time before I really got into focusing on grammar and writing.

2. Fix it with a semicolon!

Are your two clauses related to each other? Great! You can now get rid of the splicing comma by swapping it for a semicolon. Easy fix, right?

3. Fix it with a semicolon and a transition word.

This one adds a little flair to our last option. The transition is a bridge between two thoughts. However, although, in addition, furthermore, and understandably are all examples of those transitions.

4. Fix it with a period!

By far the easiest way to fix the comma splice is to just use a period. This is your best option when the two thoughts or clauses do not relate to each other.

Hopefully this helps someone out there! Happy writing!

Cayla

General Bookish, To Be Read Pile

Latest Book Mail

Cayla

Book Mail always makes me feel so special. I love opening up my mailbox to find PR boxes and books I’ve pre ordered. It feels like Christmas year round, ha!

I totally was not expecting to receive Lucia Franco’s books, but I’ve been impatiently waiting for Heaven Breaker and A Curse of Blood and Wolves.

Hush Hush by Lucia Franco

Blurb:

I knew the rules.

Never reveal my true identity.
Play the game, give the illusion.
Don’t get close to the clients.

The dark and glamorous lifestyle of the rich and shameless open my eyes to a lavish world of sin and wealth, and a man I can’t have.

A man I desperately want—James Riviera.

We’re treading a fine line as we live the ultimate double life until we make a startling discovery that tests both our loyalties.
I only had to follow the rules, but rules are meant to be broken.

Find it here!

A Curse of Blood and Wolves by Melissa McTernan

Blurb:

Is it possible to be drawn to someone you’ve never met?

When Ruby feels the eyes of a stranger in the woods, she knows she should be scared, that she should run away, but she can’t. Instead, she feels a thrill, feels drawn to this stranger who follows her in the woods. Yearns for his eyes on her every night as she walks home, hoping to hear the crunch of leaves under his feet that signals he’s there.

Will he ever reveal himself?

After all, fate doesn’t make mistakes …

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Find it here!

Heaven Breaker by Sara Wolf

Blurb:

Bravery isn’t what you do. It’s what you endure.

The duke of the powerful House Hauteclare is the first to die. With my dagger in his back.

He didn’t see it coming. Didn’t anticipate the bastard daughter who was supposed to die with her mother―on his order. He should have left us with the rest of the Station’s starving, commoner rubbish.

Now there’s nothing left. Just icy-white rage and a need to make House Hauteclare pay. Every damn one of them.

Even if it means riding Heavenbreaker―one of the few enormous machines left over from the War―and jousting against the fiercest nobles in the system.

Each win means another one of my enemies dies. And here, in the cold terror of space, the machine and I move as one, intent on destroying each adversary―even if it’s someone I care about. Even if it’s someone I’m falling for.

Only I’m not alone. Not anymore.

Because there’s something in the machine with me. Something horrifying. Something…more.

And it won’t be stopped.

You can snag it here!

Happy reading, friends!

Cayla

General Bookish

What defines a collection?

Cayla

Do you have any collections?

I always wanted to be a collector of things when I was younger. I saw people with those little fancy spoons, my relatives collected tea cups, or the little old man down the street with his stamp and coin collection.

I had nothing of the sort, but looking back, I’ve always been a collector of the written word. I feel like the acknowledgement of books as a collection didn’t rise in popularity until recently—especially with the movement of special edition books.

So, I guess I am a collector with a collection of a bunch of paper and ink. Although, that begs the question: what is a collection? Is it just a handful of items in the same category? Are we all collectors of silverware and clothing? Does the group of items have to have some sort of monetary or sentimental value? I mean, looking back, I had two full binders of CDs, is that a collection? Technically, it had a monetary value. But, I digress from my collection that I actually claim.

I love my collection of books, they feel a bit like a hoard of trophies of things I’ve read and loved. Well, it’s also my TBR too—I do, at least, sell the books that I didn’t enjoy so I don’t just continuously add books that didn’t bring me joy.

What do you collect? Are you a book collector that has a penchant for special editions?

P.S. these are my favorites that I own!

Happy Wednesday!

Cayla

Editing

Why it’s important to hire out for editing

Cayla

It can be so easy to say editing is a luxury or proofreading doesn’t really matter, especially when your project isn’t some massive thing like a 200,000 word manuscript. However—I’m about to age myself here—let’s throw it back to that meme that went around Facebook. Actually, let me just drop one below.

Our brains a literally wired to fix mistakes, and we don’t even realize we’ve done it. We skip over double words, glance over typos, and rearrange sentences that are out of whack. This is especially true in our own writing because we know what we were intending to say. Due to this, it’s almost as if we’re blind to mistakes.

In addition to this, have you ever stared at a word long enough it doesn’t even look like a real word anymore. I’ll throw it back to when I had to write a word one hundred times if I misspelled it in school—wait y’all didn’t have to do that?

It may not be your forte.

And that’s okay! The nuances of the English language are complicated at best and nonsensical at worst. Your forte is your niche, so why try to shove a square peg in a round hole? You should be focused on your work, your creativity, your website, or whatever your project is rather than trying to force yourself to do a task that isn’t what you enjoy or feel perfect doing

Having a fresh set of eyes can pick up more mistakes.

Someone who has had no interaction with that particular project can pick up typos, mistakes, forgotten commas easier than someone who has been married to the project for weeks, months, or years. You glance over the to that should be too. Maybe a pesky comma sneaks through unnoticed or an em dash has an extra space or no space. It’s kind of like walking into a house you’re going to buy. The people who are selling the house didn’t notice that their photo wall is off center, but you, seeing the house for the time, notice it right off the bat. It’s like a neon sign. An editor or proofreader is like that home buyer, seeing those neon signs that are easy to miss when you’re the one living in the home.

Time! Time is such a limited resource.

As a writer, project coordinator, business owner, you have so much on your plate. Your time is stretched thin across all the things you have to do. You feel like you have to let things go just to make sure you meet deadlines or accomplish the other tasks on your list. There aren’t enough hours in the day.

I get it! It’s easy to become married to your project and feel like you can do it all, but why not share the burden? Commas, em dashes, typos, and structure are editors’ jam. Let us handle that while you do your thing.

Feel free to send me a message about your project and let’s chat!

Cayla

ARC Reviews, Book Reviews

Book Review: Just This Once – Lena Hendrix

Cayla

I love all of Lena’s main male characters. Whip King was no different. I had the distinct pleasure of being sent this book as an ARC, and let me tell you, I was so thrilled to get my grubby paws on it.

I have been dying for the King’s side of the feud and more of their back story. This initial dive into their nuances left me wanting so much more. I cannot wait for this series to continue. As always with interconnected series and standalones, we get glimpses of other characters we’ve met before. Seeing Whip’s relationship with Lee in the fire house and the secret soft spot they all seem to have for Duke.

Back to Just This Once.

Hendrix gives us a spicy, sweet, cocktail with a piercing bite to it. Yes. Piercing is emphasized right there. One of my favorite things about Lena and her writing is her ability to give me just enough spice without compromising her incredible plots. Plus, she writes a killer feud that I’ve been hooked on finding more about for what six books now?

If you haven’t picked this one up yet, it’s available on KU—Here!

Happy reading, bookworms!

Uncategorized

Cruising through my Childhood books

Cayla

Hey Book Worms!

So, recently, in cleaning out my garage, I found a plastic tub of books I read in both high school and middle school. I’m assuming I must have loved these particular books if ten to fifteen years later I’m still dragging them around from house to house.

These books have literally gone through different states with me. I remember some of them, and I remember enjoying a fair few of them. However, I don’t remember all of them, and I want to do an experiment to see if I still enjoy them, or if they live up to the hype of my memories.

I’m also going to see if my mom has anymore of my childhood books (the chapter books from middle and high school) to see if I can plug away through them and read them in the midst of my current TBR. (I’m not opposed to her having the legit children’s books since I will likely be having kids in the next few years.)

I’ll post an exhaustive list of the titles once I get that going!

See ya after the next chapter!
Cayla